More (Sideways) Sweating With the Astronauts

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More (Sideways) Sweating With the Astronauts

The gizmo pictured here is NASA's new Standalone Zero Gravity Locomotion Simulator, essentially a treadmill that allows earthbound astronauts to run vertically, simulating the exercise they'll do while in space. Exercise is critical for extended space missions, since otherwise the human body suffers aerobic deconditioning, muscle atrophy and bone loss.Here's NASA's explanation:

The treadmill simulates zero gravity by suspending human test subjects horizontally to remove the torso, head and limbs from the normal pull of gravity. Participants are pulled toward a vertically-mounted treadmill system where they can run or walk. The forces against a test subject's feet are precisely controlled and can mimic conditions of zero gravity in low Earth orbit or conditions on the moon, which has one-sixth the gravity of Earth. In addition to simulating exercise protocols, the device may be used to imitate the physiological effects of spacewalking.